Chapter 14: The Frog
Despite from what Marcia wanted, Joseph and Cashmére went out. Because, as Joseph expressed it, why stay inside when it was so much more to do outside? And, no one would reconginize one woman. Would they? Probably not. Therefore, both of them were now outside Sally Mullin's. Again. Joseph smiled to himself. He knew what Sally would say.
"C'mon." he said to Cashmére, who looked doubtfully at the cafe.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"What's with you today?" Joseph answered, and took her arm. "You never act like that."
Cashmére mumbled something, but letted Joseph lead her into the cosy cafe. It was full tonight. Barely any places left.
"Take a seat." Joseph said, watching the room. "I'll be back soon."
"Hm..." Cashmére felt very doubtful. As mentioned, she liked Joseph. A lot. But she did not trust the men in the cafe. They looked... violent. Cashmére took a deep breath, then took a seat. She did not enjoy the feeling. The feeling of nine pair of eyes watching her. Constantly eyeing the every inch of her body.
"Joseph!" she called out, hoping that her voice would sound soft, not desperate. "Joseph, dear, how is it going over there?"
Joseph looked up. He looked shocked, but then he smiled a little.
"I'll be there in a moment, Cass!" he said. Cass. Had he just called her Cass? She had a nickname. Cashmére smiled at him when he settled down with a tray of coffee and barelycake.
"Looks delicious." she said. "Thanks, Jose."
"No probs, Cass." Joseph replied. Appereantly, he was very comfortable with her new nickname. "So, how has your day been?"
"Good." Cashmére picked up her cup of coffee and drank it. She had never tasted it before. And it tasted... odd. She drank it anyway. Encouraged by that the men seemed to have got something else to look at, she continude. "How's your day been? What are you working as, really?"
"My day has been great. You see, I work with building houses in the Port..."
"You do?"
"Yes, I do!" Joseph said, "And in my freetime, I do infact sometimes make jewelry."
"Oh?"
"It's kind of a hobby of mine, actually." Joseph said, "My brother, Maximilian, likes it, too."
"What about Rodrian?" Cashmére asked, then bit her toungue. She shouldn't have asked that. Joseph looked a little bit sad.
"He's... gone."
"I'm sorry. I did not know..."
"Nevermind." Joseph said. "By the way... how's your family doing?"
Cashmére smiled, almost bitterly. "My father, you mean?" she wondered, "Well, I suppouse he's doing fine."
"He must be worried about you." Joseph replied, "I know I would be if my daughter was gone."
Cashmére bit her lip. "Well," she said, "He might be a little bit worried... but I don't think he's very bothered."
"Oh?"
"He knows when I'm gone for real. He just knows."
"You think so?" Joseph asked doubtfully, "I still think he's worried."
"And,if I would have been kidnapped, wouldn't they have told him that they had me?" she leant over the table, closer to Joseph. "You see, I once got kidnapped."
"What? I haven't heard anything about that." Josep said.
"Of course you haven't." Cashmére replied, as thought they simply were talking about the weather. She spoke lower, this time; "You see, it got silenced down."
"But why-"
"The last thing my father needed was the people believeing that he had lost control." said Cashmére, tucking her hair behind her ears.
"Hmm."
"Yes." Cashmére felt uncomfortable again. Not because of people staring at her, but because of the memories. She remembered being kidnapped very well. How old had she been? Thirteen? She had been locked into a room underground most of the time. She had been fed with just cold, limp porridge for months, and sometimes- when she didn't do as they wanted- they had beaten her with a several objects, including a whip, a glass-bottle and a chain. Cashmére still had scars on her back. But she did not feel like sharing this with Joseph. Not just yet. Joseph watched her for a several minutes. Had she said anything wrong? Hopefully not. Cashmére had a feeling of that they maybe had something going on. She wanted to see if he maybe was the one for her. Back in her own country, she should have been married by now. The few friends she had was already married. She was expected to also get married. Soon.
"Despite from making jewelry," she wondered, "What do you more like to do? Are you like Marcia, using magyk a lot, or..?"
"Well, I never exelled at magyk." Joseph admitted sheepishly. "But I do use charms in my jewelry. Sometimes, I ask Marcia to do it or maybe find a spell, or... well, you get it."
"Yes." Cashmére nodded, "But what do they look like?"
"I could show you." Joseph said. "Would you like that?"
"I would." Cashmére said, trying to sound a little bit less enthusiastic then what she were, "But-"
"I keep them in my workshop." Joseph said, "It's not far away from here."
He rose up, and stretched his hjand out towards Casmére. "Are you coming?"
She took it. "Yes." she said.
Joseph had not lied about the distance to his workshop. Twenty minutes later, Cashmére was standing infront of a stunning collection of brooches, necklaces, wristlets, berlocks, rings... all kinds of jewelry. They glimmered in the light from the candle Joseph had lit. Cashmére stared enchanted at them. They were in all kinds of colours and shapes... there was a brooch golden bird, covered in amethysts, a bronze-tree as a necklace... Cashmére was stunned. "Do you like them?" Joseph asked, anxiously.
"Yes." she breathed, "Wow, Joseph, there are... amazing."
"Glad you like them." he said.
"But... how do you use the charms?" Cashmére wondered.
"They are all magykally fitting." Joseph answered, "Do you see the frog over there?"
"Yes."
"Pick it up." Joseph said, and Cashmére did as he said.
"Now, then?" she wondered.
"Kiss it."
"What?"
"Just do it."
"Why?"
"Do it."
"Alright, alright." Cashmére sighed, "Fine." She pushed her lips against it's cold surface. It turned so warm that she had to turn away.
"Now, put it in your palm." Joseph said. Cashmére did it, and it had barely touched her when it jumped over to her finger and clenched around it. "There you go." Joseph said, "A ring." Cashmére giggled.
"But why..?" she wondered. Joseph shrugged.
"For people who likes odd jewelry." he said. She tried to pull the ring of, but he stopped her.
"Keep it." he replied, "It's your ring, now."
"Oh?" she said, "Well, thank you. But you didn't have to-"
"I did it especially for you, infact." Joseph replied, sheepishly. "I thought that you'd like it."
Cashmére got a warm feeling in her stomach. He had done it for her. For Cashmére, especially. "Thanks." she smiled at him. He smiled back at her. Suddenly, they were very close. Joseph smiled sheepishly, again, then stepped away. He took out his timepiece and looked at it. He swore.
"Goodness, it's late!" he said, and took her hand. "We better go." He took the candle and led her out of his workshop. Joseph blew the candle out, put it where he had taken it- on a tiny table just by the door. He infact put his arms around her shoulders, and led her out. They had barely stepped outside the door until Cashmére and Joseph bumped into something... no, someone. Shocked, Cashmére looked up and found herself staring into the eyes of Lucian Ramasotti.